Arsenal done deal

Van Dijk has been a huge success for Liverpool during his 12 months at Anfield and is, perhaps, the exception to the rule that states the January window is dominated by panic buying and expensive mistakes. Having banked the £75m for Van Dijk, Southampton invested £19.1m of their windfall on Argentine forward Guido Carrillo from Monaco. After just five Premier League appearances and no goals for the Saints, he was shipped out on loan to Leganes as a costly flop. Carrillo is an example of why Ferguson, and many big clubs and leading managers, have been so reluctant to sign players in January. The biggest clubs now spend months working on prospective signings, scouting them and diving deep into their backgrounds off the pitch. Sometimes, circumstances dictate that they have to do deals in January, but for the top clubs, it is all about the summer window instead. Chelsea have bucked the trend this month by securing an agreement with Christian Pulisic for the Borussia Dortmund … [Read more...] about Why Liverpool, Man City, Man United and other top clubs aren’t buying in January

Around 3,000 residents at Tan Tan Do residential area in Hanoi have been using water with the high arsenic concentration for years, putting them at risk of cancer. The Tan Tay Do residential area project, located in the outlying district of Dan Phuong, is invested by Hai Phat Investment Joint Stock Company. Tan Tay Do residential area Over the recent days, people from many apartment buildings of the residential area have put up banners demanding the investor to provide clean water. Nguyen Van Thuan, 56, said that his family has had to use the water which is very muddy, yellow and sparkling since when 2014 when they started living there. “The water has a strange smell and it can change the natural colour of food such as meat. Local residents have complained this for years, but nothing has been done to improve the situation,” Thuan said. According to local residents, the water has a strange smell and it can change the natural colour of food such … [Read more...] about Thousands in Hanoi struggle with contaminated water

US-South Korea military exercises have long been a source of irritation for North Korea, which considers them preparation for an invasion AFP/HANDOUT The move, a significant break in how the US and South Korean militaries have worked together for decades, came even as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that peace efforts still face risks, and insisted sanctions must be maintained until Pyongyang dismantles its nuclear arsenal. "Major military exercises have been suspended indefinitely on the Korean peninsula," a senior US official told AFP. Trump on Tuesday had said the US would halt "war games" with its South Korean security ally - but he did not make clear when the freeze would kick in. US and South Korean forces have been training together for years, and routinely rehearse everything from beach landings to an invasion from the North, or even "decapitation" strikes targeting the North Korean regime. Pyongyang typically reacts furiously. Following drills last year, the North … [Read more...] about Major US military exercises with South Korea ‘suspended indefinitely’

WASHINGTON — The United States is prepared to offer North Korea security assurances and bountiful private investment if it makes the strategic choice to give up its nuclear weapons, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged Sunday. The US price for normalisation -- complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization -- is one Pyongyang has never before been willing to pay, seeing nuclear weapons as the ultimate guarantee of the regime’s survival. But both countries have been on charm offensives ahead of the summit June 12 in Singapore between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, the first ever between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. On Saturday, North Korea said it will destroy its nuclear test site later this month -- a gesture Trump quickly hailed as "very smart and gracious." Pompeo, who has met twice with Kim, described him as well-informed and attuned to western media coverage, a leader "who knows his brief" and what he wants to achieve. The … [Read more...] about US ready to offer North Korea security assurances, investment: Pompeo

Pep Guardiola celebrated his first Premier League title, following Manchester City's goalless draw with Huddersfield Town on Sunday (May 6), by immediately turning his attention to defending the trophy next season. Manchester City players celebrating their title win with manager Pep Guardiola. (AFP/Oli SCARFF) The demanding City manager brought seven of his coaching staff onto the podium for his post-match press conference, a symbolic nod towards a close-knit group that has masterminded one of the most dominant league performances in history. Despite surprisingly failing to defeat struggling visitors Huddersfield, City still have two games left in which they can set new Premier League records for the most wins, points and goals in a single campaign. That target still inspires Guardiola, but so too does the prospect of trying to win the league title again next season. "We cannot deny it would be nice to set records but it's nicer when you win the Premier League," said … [Read more...] about Guardiola sets City’s sights on Premier League title defence